1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air bag construction system and, more particularly, to a modular air bag construction system for facilitating automated manufacture of air bags.
2. Related Prior Art
With the increasing popularity of air bags as an additional restraint system in automobiles, there is a corresponding need for manufacturing methods and apparatus which facilitate the construction of the air bags and thereby also reduce the time and cost of constructing the air bags. Conventional air bags are typically constructed from various precut components which are combined into a single assembly forming the air bag.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional air bag construction including a main panel 10 which is precut to a circular shape and which includes various precut holes 12 formed therein. The precut holes 12 are reinforced with small precut panels 14 which include holes corresponding to the precut holes 12. The precut panels 14 must be carefully aligned with the precut holes 12 and are attached to the main panel 10 to thereby reinforce the main panel 10 around the area of the holes 12. For example, the grain of the material of each of the small precut panels 14 must be oriented at a predetermined angle relative to the grain of the main panel 10, as well as relative to the grain of adjacent small precut panels, in order to obtain maximum material strength in the reinforced areas. To complete the construction of the air bag, a precut face panel 16 must be aligned with the main panel 10, and the main and face panels 10, 16 are joined to each other by a seam formed around the perimeter thereof.
It has been found that constructing air bags from precut components, such as those shown in FIG. 1, is inefficient and expensive in that the components typically are cut using expensive laser and/or ultrasonic cutting techniques, and the alignment of the various components to each other has proven to be a time consuming and meticulous operation.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system for producing an air bag of the same integrity and quality as conventional air bags while making it easier and less expensive to manufacture the air bag.